Kiss Me
by Mon3lisa
Summary: Elricest based on the legend of the Lovers of Teruel


Kiss Me

Summary: Elricest based on the legend of the Lovers of Teruel

Disclaimer: Fullmetal Alchemist (c) Hiromu Arakawa

Rate: PG -13

Warnings: Elricest, small sexual references

Author's comments: The visit to the Lovers of Teruel is the only part that I liked about being forced to cruise around between Valencia and Barcelona during the entire week. It also became the only thing I like about the Middle Ages (not to forget the Black Death that ended it xD)

So what is it?

A story about a peasant and a noble's daughter and…well, you're gonna have to read this fic and you can look it up after you read it and of course giving feedback :D

The only part I don't like about this is the beginning. It's not catchy and it was kinda rushed…

* * *

His little sobs tinkled in the air, like a soft chime singing in a hot summer's breeze. Although they were small, his whimpers caught the attention of all who stood on the street, across from the crying child. Rumors quickly began to spread like grasshoppers feeding on harvest. 

"Who is he?"

"He wears noble clothes…"

"Could he be…?"

"Without a doubt."

Hearing those whispers from adults, children stopped their play and turned to look in unison at the hiccupping boy. His knuckles were covering his eyes and great streams of tears were drenching his blue vest.

What an unusual sight it was, an offspring of the rich crying his heart out in a town of penniless misery. But why was he crying? And crying so, as though he had lost everything he ever owned and he was left all alone in a society too afraid to accept him.

A society, an entire group of people. Except for one person.

This certain person was a farmer's boy, who had his first day off in months. He was playing ball with old companions when he heard the child crying. He was first to notice him. First to crane his neck to get a view of the small bundle of tears, first to realize that the child needed help. In turn, his companions looked at his direction and saw him. The game was soon forgotten, the ball rolled away like tumbleweed. Those children were taught to be inferior to nobles, who were the superior masters of the land. How astonishing to find one of those "rich, powerful men" crying like any other person.

It was for this reason that the townsfolk stood staring at him, not knowing what to do. Amidst the awkward and uncertain atmosphere, the farmer's boy approached the child and held his dirty hand out, smiling warmly.

"Wanna play?" He asked.

The child continued to sob and didn't answer. The farmer, with a patience that was hard to find in this world, waited. The child choked back a few tears and, quivering voice, replied back.

"N-No thank you. I-I cannot f-find Em…Emerald."

"Emerald?" The boy asked, curiously.

The child opened his knuckles away from his eyes timidly. "My c-cat, sir."

He blinked. 'Emerald'? 'Sir'? This child knew more words than he did! A child lesser of age than he, the smartest son of the town! The blond frowned slightly and straightened his back, a well-known habit of his to display his arrogance. "Your cat?"

"Y-yes." Stammered the child, who stopped crying in fear and awe of the way the older boy stood. "And I can't find my way home and I don't know where I am and Mother will be so angry with me for talking to a pea-"

"What did you just say?" The boy growled, looming over the scared brunette.

"p-p-p-peesant…sir." The boy squeaked.

"You're not saying it right, it's 'pay-zant' not 'pee-sant'. Since you called me one, you're not one of us then?"

The brunette shook his head, ready to bow before the tall young man and kiss his feet. He shook from head to toe and the only part of his body he could control was his lips. "I'm a noble, sir. Mother told me so."

"Mother, huh?"

"Y-yes."

"…"

"…"

"I'll take you home. I'm sure your cat will find its way."

"Really, sir?"

"Name's not Sir, I'm Ed. Edward Elric. What's your's?"

"A-Alphonse Adric…" The boy replied.

Edward smiled and held his palm, which Alphonse looked upon like it held a precious jewel. "All pets find their way home, it just is. And I'm about to help you find your way. Take my hand, I won't bite."

Without a word, Alphonse took his hand. Together they walked towards the manor as Edward and he had a nice conversation along the way. How old are you? What is nobility like? Why are you poor? Alphonse was eager to ask and eager to answer, just as much as Edward did. Too soon they reached their destination and Edward let go of his hand. With a smile and a wave, little Alphonse watched him walk away until his silhouette was swallowed by the hill. He never met anyone cradle his hand so gently. Every hand he's ever held had a firm grip, holding in a way that showed that it held hands for duty and not because they wanted to. For the first time in Alphonse's life, someone wanted to help him. For the rest of the day, he held the hand without touching anything.

Two days later, Edward was plowing the fields. His father was out, gone trading with the sea merchants beyond the town walls. Humming to himself, his rough hands brought down the wooden tool down into soft earth, when he heard shouting and laughter.

"What are you doing here, rich kid?" laughed a mean voice.

"Got lost again? And I thought you were the lord of the lands!" Sniggered another.

"What do you want with Ed, anyway?" At the sound of his name, Edward stopped, dropped the plough and ran towards the front of the house. "He won't see you. He's too busy farming to even come play with us!"

"Hey!" shouted he, stopping before the cluster of boys on the road. "What's going on?"

"Rich boy here wants to see you," the boys sniggered and pushed someone forward.

He was none other than Alphonse.

"You're..."

He couldn't finish his sentence before the trembling brunette ran behind him and cowered behind his back, taking a peek from behind Edward's arms through his wet silver eyes.

"Aww!" The boys cooed. "How cute, a noble hiding behind a farmer's protection. How sweet!" They punched each other playfully and pointed, giggling, at poor Alphonse.

"Don't you guys have anything better to do," Edward said, crossing his arms and standing straight and tall. "Than to pick on a kid? I mean, come on. What if they see you?"

"Don't think we're stupid, Ed," scoffed one boy. "We took him to your house and it was only when we were near your house that we had a little fun with him. It's nice to have a house that is blocked from the manor's view by a forest."

Edward pouted. "Yeah? Well it's not so nice when you know that in the forest, there're some nobles waiting to kill. It's the hunting season, you know. Perhaps they're watching us right now. And they've seen what you've done to their prince, and they're waiting for you to walk back to town while they position their arrows and…" Edward imitated an arrow piercing one's chest by jabbing one of the boys with a low whistle. "Whoops."

"Sure, Ed," Laughed the third boy, uncertainty covering his words and moving his eyes towards the forest momentarily. "You expect us to believe something like that?"

"Sure. I mean, I accidentally got in their way once and they shot one at me and gave me a huge scar." He pulled his trousers so that his left calf was bare, showing a long menacing wound. "I don't think you want to know how much it hurt…thank God I dodged it and it didn't pierce through my chest."

The boys gulped and looked at each other, at the leg, and back at Edward again. "Right, we have to get going anyway…"

"Don't get lost!" Grinned the blonde.

They ran off, taking fearful glances at the forest. Alphonse watched them run with astonishment. Such a well thought lie chased them away, and Edward didn't bat a single eye while doing so. The fascinated boy, who still sniffed from crying, looked up at him. The taller boy chuckled at the cowards and at his own genius and looked down to meet his eyes. His smile quickly faded and he roughly placed his hands on his shoulders.

"You idiot! Why did you come back?" Edward shouted, earning a squeak from the boy. "You're not allowed to be here!"

"I-I wanted to see you!" The petite child stammered.

"Why!?" He asked forcefully. "I'm a peasant, a farmer! And you're a noble, we can't be together!"

"W-Why not!?" Cried Alphonse.

"Cuz…Cuz…well, that's the way it is!" Edward replied.

"Then why did you offer me your hand a few days ago?"

"I couldn't…couldn't just leave you there, crying like that. I had to do something, you know?"

"But why?"

He sighed with annoyance. "Will you stop with the questions already? C'mon, I'll take you home."

"No! No please, Older Brother, don't take me home!" He cried out.

"Older Brother?" Edward asked, confused.

A hue of embarrassment colored the boy's cheeks. "…Can I call you that?"

"But I'm not your-"

"I-I know, but please? Can I be with you? Can we play?" The innocent child asked, holding on to Edward's sleeves.

The blonde was taken back; the same eyes that had pulled him like a bee to a flower the other day were performing their charm once more, sending Edward's heart fluttering like wings on a butterfly. His silver eyes were deceiving his thoughts, crushing the ones that thought of bringing him back home. Instead they replaced them with thoughts of being with the big round eyes, sparkling with pre-tears. He bit his lips, thinking this over. There can't be any harm in play pretend with a noble, right?

"F-Fine." Edward finally decided. "But just for a little bit, okay? My father's coming back at around sunset so until then."

The little boy's face brightened delightfully. Happily, he took Edward's hand and walked to the fields where a start of a new friendship awaited them.

Since then, the little boy visited the elder once a week. Then every other day. Then everyday. He always had something to talk about, usually a new scientific name he learned that day from his tutor or some mischief his cat Emerald had done. Edward, in turn, talked to him about things he always kept to himself as he had no one else to talk his feelings and thoughts to before. He told him that his mother died a few years back and since then his father traveled and hardly saw Edward. Because he was never home, Edward was forced to tend the farm for himself and at a young age, learned to trade during market days.

Speaking of those memories lead to teaching one another everyday knowledge that a noble or a peasant had to learn. In time, Alphonse learned how to farm and Edward learned to read and write. Such ridiculous things for both of them to learn, but they found that they didn't care. As long as they had something to teach, something to say, they can continue their long conversations and always stay together.

Through Alphonse, Edward learned of nobility and through Edward, Alphonse learned how a peasant's life was like. Over the years they grew accustomed to each other's company and even enjoyed it. Alphonse himself had no siblings and was all too happy to call his only friend "Brother". All he used to have in his life to pass lonely days without getting bored was his cat. But now that he had Edward to talk to, he no longer sat for dreary days straight wishing to be someone else.

As the two grew over the years, Edward grew his hair and Alphonse did the same. Edward couldn't help but notice his handsome (and attractive) appearance. His silver eyes became softer with years of kindness and happiness provided by the older of the two, his hair a wonderful color of rich fertile earth, and his delicate skin as pale as the moon. He was beautiful to Edward, who grew slowly (in fact slow enough to allow Alphonse be near the same height as he), his healthy hair resembling to the winks of the sun, his eyes gold enough to resemble a coin's valuable surface.

His body still showed roughness from years of toil and a few scars here and there. But without them, Alphonse believed, Edward wouldn't be who he was. He wouldn't be the strong young man capable of defending himself and others from trouble without getting himself into a bad position. While he was a silent hard-working boy who didn't bother anyone, he was also a bright young man who grinned with so much pride its splendid light lightened every person's day. Especially to Alphonse, like when he would accomplish a feat no noble has ever done before. Edward would puff his chest out and smile proudly. Then Alphonse too, would feel his heart swell and beat comfortably beneath his skin every time his Brother smiled.

It was during those years that they learned to love each other more than as friends and as brothers. And Edward knew that he was in love with a boy. That it was a doing against God's will. That he must break off his relationship with Alphonse before things become worse. By breaking off he can relax, find some other girl. And Alphonse can do the same, and nothing will ever happen to them. Neither will be punished by Him.

"_Tonight,_" Edward decided one day many years later, "_I will tell him that we must leave each other forever._"

That night, they met by the lake claimed by Edward himself, who seemed to be the only discoverer of the small stretch of land and water deep into the forest. The only place where the two boys can tell anything to each other without being afraid of getting caught. It was the perfect night to bid him farewell. The stars were shining in tranquility and the moon shone beautifully. The lake shimmered and glittered in the moonlight as Edward skittered flat stones across it, hoping the splashes will drown the low sound of his thumping heart.

"Alphonse," said he, continuing to skip rocks.

"Yes?"

"…" A gulp of air, an exhale. The silence will be broken by these words. "We must depart."

"What?"

"It's not right." Edward quickly interrupted. "For us, I mean. Noble and peasant? Friends? Brothers? No. We should go off in our separate ways, give ourselves time to find some girl."

It was obvious by the answering silence that Alphonse was in confusion.

"But…But…" He stammered.

Edward closed his eyes, waiting.

"I don't believe you." Alphonse finally said. Edward opened his eyes abruptly and turned to face him, seated on the grass.

"I know you well enough to know when you're lying and now you're disguise the truth with a reason that was already proposed long ago. You wouldn't ask for something like this. Is there something of the matter, my Brother? Tell me, please. As your master, I order you." He giggled.

Edward smiled sadly and looked away. He tilted his face up at the moon, a round silver eye about to be shielded from a dark eyelid. The cloud moved with rapidity even though the breath of wind was only slightly swift. It was as though it was hastening to cover the virgin moon's eye from what Edward was about to confess.

A sin.

"Alphonse, I am not lying," he said. "But it is true that I am not telling the whole truth. I will do as you please, but if you ask me why I can so selfishly confess this then let me tell you why, I want to be remembered as an honest person, though horrible, before we bid farewell."

In the darkness, Alphonse could only see a faint outline of his Brother's silhouette standing in front of the lake. What did he mean? Horrible? Edward was anything but horrible, no matter what he did.

Or what he said.

"Little Brother…"

"…"

"I love you."

The world stopped. The silhouette grew more and more distant to Alphonse, and the rustle of the wind blew through his shocked mind of state. His chest began to heave and he bent his head over, thoughts beginning to cause turmoil in mind, body, and soul. Oh, he knew what to _do_ but he couldn't control his body. Shock had paralyzed his limbs and drummed upon his heart like a percussion drum.

When Edward realized that his words had taken an enormous effect on Alphonse he blurted out a hasty explanation; that he had approached him on the day he met because of his beautiful form and how he, for reasons he later found out was because of affection, wanted to stop his tears and raise the child as his sibling.

He wanted him. He wanted him for himself and for no one else. A child to give him pride and a reason to continue his unrewarding work in the farm. A child to grow up with. A friend. A younger brother he'll never have. Someone to spend the lonely days when his father wasn't there.

"You need to understand, Alphonse." Edward said, voice cracking. "We need to be apart, my heart grew too soft towards you. We need to be apart for a while so it can harden again and I can love in the correct way, the way God wants me to love. Love a female, not a man. Especially not one I consider as my family."

He hadn't noticed that Alphonse was running towards him. When he suddenly felt his presence behind him, he didn't have time to pull back his tears before hastening words asked a question he had already answered.

"Edward, Edward…Is it true what you are saying? Do you truly love me?" His hand grasped his arm and pulled him around, meeting face to face with his love.

The moon was still veiled behind a cloud that rested tenderly the angels of God, cruelly encasing the younger boy in obscurity too dark to make out the features of his face. Edward interpreted the darkness as an omen and shivered slightly at the shadow of the moon pressing against his back, reminding him that the Heavens were watching and the virgin moon's eyes were hidden for a reason. Go. You gave him your reasons, there's nothing more to do or say. Just tell him goodbye and _leave_.

"Alphonse…"

"Brother…" a whisper as smooth as velvet breathed its way through a breeze, collecting their hair into a swaying curtain of blond and brown. The word that meant so much to the both of them enshrouded them, waiting to be broken in the wind. Time passed slowly, as slow as Edward's heart, beating steadily with anxiety.

"_There's nothing I can do._" thought he. "_He'll never understand if not even I can understand how this happened. Why this happened. Why _him." Tears that awaited on the edges of his eyes were ready to pour and Edward hid them behind closed eyes. He breathed, letting the cruel cloud move away from the moon as though it felt that this was the moment, the coast was clear. Edward thought so too, before perceiving that closed eyes were directly in his view. Eyelids, smoothed out by the moonlight, that were _kissing_ him.

For a while, he stood there. Rigid. Frozen. Unbelieving. He gasped, opening Alphonse's lips momentarily and inhaling his breath. Breath dripping with warmth and sweetness that immediately melted his insides and heated his cheeks. This can't be happening. _Alphonse was kissing him._ A boy. A person he referred to as his _brother_.

Alphonse…!

His mind struggled to react, to do something, say something! Everything he knew and everything that made sense was being grounded to nothing by his lips. Gently kissing him so, as though it held an incredible amount of power that had to be held back, or it would shatter the very core of the soul it kissed.

This is wrong.

It's wrong, it's wrong, it's wrong.

It's wrong and there's nothing he can do about it. Why bother to fight back? Isn't this what he wanted? Whatever emotion that was holding him back is crumbling, shattering before the feet of confessed love and desire.

He kissed him back. Eyes closing, his arms closed around Alphonse, pulling him closer as though they had waited for this for all these years. As though they were created in his mother's womb for this reason. There just couldn't be any other explanation; his arms were moving on their own accord. His mind couldn't be controlling them, not in the blank state it was in.

The two fit perfectly in each other's embrace, arms coiled around each other like vines on an old castle wall. And still they kissed, the moon casting a warm glow around them like a halo big enough for two people. Edward wondered if they were meant to be. The way they kissed and how Alphonse's fingers grasped the back of his shirt seemed like this was rehearsed long ago. So perfectly in sync, so perfectly done. It couldn't have been anything else but destiny.

Was God allowing this? If God forbids them to be together so why, pray, were Edward's lips trailing down Alphonse's neck, making him moan in pleasure? Why wasn't He stopping them?

Maybe He can't.

Maybe there's a force far greater than Him that's making them love so much that their buried yearning from the deep wells of their hearts were overpowering His will.

Love.

Love, Love is greater than He. It just has to be, because there is no other beauty of Nature that he can think of that is greater than it. Surely it is Love that was making him lower his lover's body to the ground and caress and kiss his forehead oh so tenderly. Only that can make his heart squeeze so and send trembles of want down between his legs. Only Love…

"A-Alphonse," he struggled for words. "I…I…"

"It's alright." Alphonse cut, his voice steady but slightly quivering. "Brother, leave it. I want this, I don't care about anything else. I love you too much to care…" He tilted his head upwards and made kisses down Edward's throat, earning a stifled moan and a shiver.

"W-What about…What about…" Edward swallowed, trying to gain his senses. "God?"

Alphonse stopped short and listened to Edward who through gritted teeth explained. "We can't do this, Alphonse." He whispered. "You-You'll go to Hell. Let me leave you, let me go. I-I don't want to do this to you. He's watching us, little Brother! I-It's not allowed!" He cried out, tears leaking. He cupped the young boy's innocent face and leaned in so that his beautiful silver eyes met directly with wet gold. "Once we do this, there's no going back. Please, Alphonse. Dear little Brother, I don't want to pass my sins onto you."

"But Edward," murmured soothingly he, returning the gesture by running gentle touches down wet cheeks. "I've loved you since the day we met. Why do you think I named you 'Brother'? It's not only that I don't have siblings of my own and I look up at you as one but because of their never dying bond. You see, Brother, siblings fight but they usually make up because they're _family_. They're forever bonded through the means of family love and of blood."

"And because they share the same blood, they can't separate themselves since they will always be connected in a way. You can find and lose as many friends as you like, but having a sibling who will always be of resemblance to you is beautiful to me. And I wanted that for us. I want us to be together always even if we're not. I chose to love you, don't make that choice go to waste. Please let me do what I believe is right. Let me give you my happiness, everything I have to give and lose. You've done so much for me in the past and now it's my turn." He kissed Edward momentarily as he began to unbutton his shirt.

"Let me, Brother." He breathed upon his lips. "I want to show you how much I want to do for you. Let me touch you and kiss you and do everything you want me to do because I love you, Brother. I love you too much to care about anything, even my admittance to Hell!" He whispered, clutching Edward's arms and pulling himself upwards so that their bodies were pressed hard onto each other.

"Please, Brother. I love you…Let us always be together…"

A moment's hesitation, then fingers running through streaks of brown. Edward undid the hair string, casting it to the side. Still saying nothing, Edward delved in, receiving a moan from the neck he explored with his lips. He breathed in a wonderful mixture of earth and soap as fingers slowly undid the laces of the boy's vest.

Yes, who cares about God? If his theory is true then he has nothing to worry about. This emotion called Love is overruling any thoughts of His wrath, proving that it's far greater than He. Who cares about what He will do, if right now it's all about the present, what Alphonse's body was doing to his. Who cares, if the whole universe was dead to him and it was only he and his younger Brother alive and loving that night?

They melted into each other and held on as if forever. A hopeless wish of eternal unification was sent to the stars that shone brightly that night.

--

For two years they basked in each other's presence, whispering words of love and doing all things any couple would do. At day they were brothers, innocent creatures who wanted to believe that they shared the same blood. No one in the village and the manor wanted to remind them that they were noble and peasant. Two different levels of society, forbidden to be in each other's presence was a Law of Nature. It just is, but no one spoke a word as though it was a taboo to speak of their different backgrounds.

No one had the heart to tell them. And who would have? Seeing them together raised spirits. Watching them bicker about paying or making the other trip and other silly arguments that brothers had brought a smile to everyone's faces. Yes, no one had the heart to remind them.

Oh, how happy they were. They supported each other as they grew up together for more years. They taught each other everything they knew, told everything to each other. Soon, they were able to read each other as easy as interpreting an image. And nearly every night, they would go to the secret place in front of the lake where they first kissed. There, they freed the love they had to bottle in during the day and expressed it, using words and touches.

But usually, with touches.

Nobody could have guessed what they were doing. Edward's father died during those years and Alphonse never had a night where someone looked in on him, hence leaving no one to see them sneak out of the house and go to the forest. There, they nuzzled into each other's embrace, breathing in and spreading each other's warmth and love throughout their bodies. They let each other be inside of them and let each other touch every inch of their bodies. Through cold and rain, sunshine or heat nothing stopped them from seeing each other and love each other.

But alas, all good things must come to an end and for them it was no exception.

Alphonse had to be married. His father passed away and he had to take over the throne with a wife and forever live days and nights with a woman by his side. It meant that he and Edward could not be together without being interrupted with all kings' responsibilities and the future queen's watchful eyes. When he told Edward of this, bitter tears choked his thoughts and placed his mind in an unbelieving stupor, like his mind was floating in a never ending sea.

"Oh, Edward." He cried, sobbing shamelessly upon Edward's chest. "What do we do? We will be together no longer; we shall be forced to depart. Oh, God, why does it have to be like this!? Why can we not be together!?"

Edward, in many ways was the complete opposite of Alphonse and again, he was demonstrating their differences. He didn't respond and caressed him, his sobs echoing through Edward's ears and pulling his heart strings so much it hurt.

"Alphonse," he whispered, tucking his lips on top of his lover's head. "What if you…don't have that wedding?"

"W-what?" Alphonse looked up, meeting Edward's eyes. "T-That's impossible, I am obliged to do so. There's n-nothing, Brother mine, nothing we can do…"

"Yes, there is." Edward replied firmly. He pulled back so that they had a full view of each other. "I can go on a journey for a while, get some money and come back. Then we can go where you want to go, Alphonse. You can convince your mother, right? Postpone the marriage for a few years. Say, five. Alphonse, it's perfect."

"Perfect?" Shock coated the word with enough anger to make Edward wince. "But you'll be gone…and I here to wait for your long return, how can you ask for a painful thing as such?!"

Edward silenced him, coaxing him and rubbing his arms as his voice soothed and caressed just as gently as his hands. "It's nothing, little Brother, compared to the years we will be together afterwards. I know I can do this, let me do it. I promise to come back on the fifth year of next week. I only have you left in this world and I will do anything for the both of us to be happy together."

"Besides," he added, smiling with confidence. "I'm strong and nothing will get in my way. I'll be back, you'll see."

Alphonse looked away and breathed painfully, musing this over. "Brother, I cannot believe you decided upon a choice, a _choice_, that your pride and arrogance gave birth upon. Why can we not go together? Why are you telling yourself that you will go and leave me?"

"Alphonse!" The other exclaimed, forcing Alphonse's angry eyes to meet his. "I'd never leave you, but if we go now people will question about our relationship and the consequences will be difficult to deal with. I am only going to get money and travel around to find a place for us, do you understand? I'm doing this for the both of us."

"If it is for the both of us," Alphonse murmured forcefully, struggling to hold back angry tears. "Why can I not have a fair part in this insane plan?"

"That's the very reason, Alphonse. It is insane, only I can handle it. You will understand that it is best and if we suddenly leave…Heaven knows what will happen to us." Edward murmured.

"Heaven knows what will happen to us if we separate." Alphonse ominously replied.

--

The next week, Edward left the village, making sure he left a strong memory behind before leaving. The night before his departure was a heart-breaking happening, so full of anguish and of worry following every kiss they lay on each other, every thrust and every movement more violent and more painful than they ever moved before, every tear choking their cries and moans of anguish. Neither forgot how the other felt and for five years, life continued for the both.

"Alphonse, my only son. When will you agree on marrying Princess Winlyn?"

"Deep apologies, my mother.. However God has taught me that I must await another five years, when I have come of age to reign over the lands. He tells me to be a virgin until that age has come and I must do as He pleases."

"Very well, child." Answered she. "It is true, that you must learn how to become a good husband and ruler beforehand. Five years it is."

Five years. In just two short words the phrase sounds meaningless, that it belongs to only a small portion of life. But those five years were enough to teach the both what the real world was like. Edward, through bloody adventures after another, found himself in every situation man has ever endured. Imprisoned, witnessing death, having near-fatal injuries, tortured… But still he fought; just five more years to come and he will be back in his love's arms. Back to where he belonged, back to where he knows he can be safe.

Because of all the dangerous settings, Edward was unable to send a letter to Alphonse not even once. It hurt him, but he was so busy with all duties a ruler must learn. A guard now kept a close ear to every shuffling sound he made when he slept; he was made sure someone went along with him when he went hunting. There was never a time alone except during the dark recesses of night, when he can bitterly allow tears to moisten his pillow.

Five years of sorrow and regret. Five years worth nothing to the ears of the inexperienced.

Those five years pass, and still no word from Edward. Finally, the long-awaited day came. The day he was to arrive and take him away. The day Alphonse was to be married, as soon as the rosy beams of sunset touched the bells of the church. All day he waited, watching the maids and cooks busily preparing the ceremony. He didn't know whether to feel sorry that it all will be for nothing in the end, or if he was standing in the last few hours of his freedom. The gate watchers had nothing to report.

Finally, the fingertips of light touched the bells of God, its chimes vibrating through every house, every joyous limbs that danced in celebration, through Alphonse's heavy heart. The sound of the bells stayed echoing in his body as he walked down the aisle and bowed before the Priest and made his claim to the throne.

The gate watchers had nothing to report.

The world was laughing merrily as drinks and music were passed gaily to one another. To Alphonse, the laughter was all a mockery, a sign telling him that everyone was creatures of falsehood. Even his new wife, who was so kind to him, seemed to have come from a devil's board game. Life was just a game of pretend, a game that meant nothing to the creators of life themselves. Just a game where the pawns were the humans, who made moves that made other pawns fall into their traps. All a game of treachery and lies. Everything Alphonse hoped he knew was crushed by the stamping feet of the oblivious souls lost in the light of the eye of the burning sun.

--

"Alphonse."

He stirred, thinking that it was one of his nightmares once more.

"Alphonse."

He gave out a groan, and covered his ears.

Fingers gently shook his shoulder and he reluctantly opened his eyes, meeting face to face with the intruder.

The hoarse raspy voice spoke to him. "Alphonse…I'm sorry…"

Alphonse shot up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. Rough, dirty hands met his milky-white knees. Heart thudding, Alphonse reached out to touch the man, who gave his cheek to the new lord and rubbed it against his palm like a petted cat. Alphonse felt a long scar rubbing against his fingers and he knew who it was. No one could be so sore with scratches and scars as a person who had gone traveling for years without end.

Edward Elric stopped and looked up at his lover, eyes of gold darkened of all the sorrows he witnessed and memorized for life. Eyes that wanted to say a million words, but only one phrase came tumbling out of his dear lips, speaking so gently and so low, it hurt Alphonse to hear the words that were difficult to say.

"Kiss me, my Brother, for I am dying," he whispered, closing his eyes.

With a chest full of pain but eyes of dry the other withdrew his fingers off the broken-hearted man and shook his head.

"I cannot. God forbids me to betray my wife."

"Please. Kiss me, my love. I am dying," begged his cracked voice, pressing his forehead against his lap; shoulders trembling slightly.

"Edward, I cannot. Can you not understand? It is against my Mother's wishes and of Christ."

"Kiss me…I'm dying…"

"Please, Edward, find a maiden and forget of me. Please leave. Please leave…"

The two pairs of eyes locked on to each other. Gold and silver, first met through the eyes of Love, now departing. Tears flooding the golden pair and staying dry in the silver. Tears that bring the downfall to all precious metals in rust and decay. The older pair begged for acceptance, for a simple act of Love. But he knew no matter how much he tried to persuade him, it would all be in vain. His own pride had left the younger man alone to learn in those five years that Love doesn't dominate all. He looked in the dry silver eyes and knew that he did not cry because he had already spent enough tears crying out for his return, for his comfort to smother away the painful solitude during all those years.

Solitude, that lead to what Alphonse became. To the Alphonse that sat before his eyes. Alphonse, to whom he lost his trust. Alphonse, who turned his back to their love and gave that trust to God.

He betrayed him.

A sigh as light as a whisper filled the room full of understanding, full of guilt. The elder closed his eyes and held long, holding the air of living for the final time. His head slowly and gently fell onto his lover's lap, and let the blanket of death consume him forever.

For a long while, nothing occurred. Alphonse knew that if the guard found him they would both be in trouble. With this in mind, he lifted Edward's chin. When his pale face fell upon his view, he gasped, cupping the lifeless angelic face with horror. The slowly paling face that he kissed so many times in the past never seemed brighter in the pale moonlight.

Trembling, he let his body lie on the ground and awakened his wife, telling her that her murmuring scared him and he wished to hear a story.

To this, the oblivious wife told him a story to which she was the only listener to. When she finished, he returned the favor by telling his own story. He told her of Edward, of their love, the five year deal, and that he lay dead beside the bed because he refused to kiss him.

"Oh, you wretched!" cried she when she saw the corpse. "Why did you not kiss him!?"

"Betrayal to my wife is a sin," he answered.

"You are a man to praise," she groaned.

She paced around the room, "I may be held accountable for his death. We must take him to a church and bury him with secrecy."

Her husband agreed.

He lifted the short individual and in the dead of the night carried him to the chapel. Upon arrival, he explained the situation and bribed the Pope to agree on burying him in the catacombs under the chapel. While they dressed the body, Alphonse decided after a lot of thinking, to kiss him one final time before he lay to rest.

As the clergymen prepared the coffin in another room, he approached the table on which Edward lay. He peeled back the cloth covering his face, just as gently as the night he first revealed bare flesh below his fingertips. Running the same fingers down soft cheeks, he bent over and hesitated for a moment. He took a short breath of air before pressing lips of rose over another.

He kissed him for all he was worth, tears falling atop closed eyelids while lips pressed harder and kissed more. His chest gasped for breath, fingers gripping the edges of the table until blood ceased its flow to the knuckles. But still he kissed, right under the nose of God, in His own House. Choked moans of guilt echoed throughout the morgue as each passing moment tightened his chest and forced his lips downwards more.

Everything he ever felt for and lived for fell in that one kiss. He let his love and all his dreams fall into it. He breathed his entire life onto his lover's face and let memories sink into skin. His heart tightened, his heart giving up its own energy in order to kiss. Never did his entire body sacrifice so much just to show his Love, his all, his everything, how much he in reality would do for him. How much he'd die for him.

Suddenly, his heart gave a burst, breaking beneath his chest. Sounds of shattering glass echoed through his ears and shrouded his gasp. Eyes fluttering, he slowly fell forward and lay atop his Brother, dead.

Edward Elric and Alphonse Adric lay forever at peace.

--

"…"

"…"

"…that was…some story." A voice too deep for its age said, interrupting the awkward silence.

"Y-Yeah." Stammered a hollow voice, echoing within the body it rang out of. "I can't help but think that this is too unbelievable to be made-up. You know?"

"…no?"

"Like, it's hard to believe someone had enough imagination to make this up."

"Hmm, maybe."

Another silence, again broken by the older sibling of the two.

"But scientifically, it's impossible to die of a 'broken heart' or to 'kiss to death'," scoffed the young boy in red, his own cheeks slightly reddening at saying the word 'kiss'. "I mean, come on. You're saying that something like that is possible?"

"I didn't say _that_ Brother…" A tall suit of armor replied. "I wish you hadn't spoiled it like that. I really liked the story."

The short blond snorted and turned away, hands in his pockets. He stopped before the two tombs that lay before him and gazed at it for a while, vaguely listening to the footfalls of steel feet approaching the spot where he stood.

"Do you think…Mother knew about this story?" The steel boy whispered.

"Who knows, Al," breathed the Alchemist. "Who knows."


End file.
